Preparing for a MR

9babiesnutjob

Hi,
I applied for a PIP in summer. I had a paper based assessment and a brief phone conversation with a HP, who spoke to my husband ( I was not included in the conversation at all!). I got a decision just over a week later. I’d been awarded the mobility component but not the carers component!🤷‍♀️ I have suspected ASD, I suffer with anxiety, depression and eating disorders and I have done for 30 years. It was my first time applying for any help.
 So…. I’m now preparing to do a MR. My question is, do I stand a better chance of a reconsideration as I didn’t get the opportunity to explain in detail how my conditions affect my daily life? Also, can I request a re assessment,as I didn’t have one in the first place???

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you!

poppy123456

I'm afraid you won't have an assessment for the MR. It will be another decision maker looking at your claim again and coming to another decision. The time to explain how your conditions affect you was when you filled out the PIP2 form. Though they obviously thought they had enough of information to do a paper based assessment after some extra questions were asked when they spoke to your husband.

The reason they spoke to your husband and not yourself is because i see from a previous thread that he's your appointee so it's correct that they didn't speak to you. He's responsible for your claim.

The most likely outcome of the MR will be the decision remains the same. Only 23% of MR decisions go in the claimants favour. There's more chance at Tribunal stage with about 68% chance, providing you either appear in person or have a telephone/video hearing.

You should put the request in writing, please do not ring to request it. Give a couple of real world examples of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you. Adding detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were. 

You have one month from the date of the decision to do this. If you're outside the 1 month timeframe you must give a reason why you're late requesting it.

9babiesnutjob

Thank you again Poppy for your reply and advice.

Im not going to fight it further, I don’t have the mental or emotional energy too. It’s really not worth all the anxiety it causes.

It was my first time claiming disability and I guess I was a naive. I’ve learnt a lot during this process and I WILL get the care component come my review!

I do think it’s disgusting that good people with genuine conditions have to beg, humiliate themselves and jump through hoops to get this award. Yet, during Covid, I could have to HMRC that I rang a business from my garden shed selling gardening junk and I would have got a £10000 grant! This system is a complete joke!

Thank you again everyone on this forum, your help and advice has been invaluable. Thank god for sites like Scope!

Albus_Scope

Hiya @9babiesnutjob, sorry you're having to do the very common jumping through hoops!  I know first hand how frustrating, aggravating and draining this process is. But I'd personally suggest going for the MR if you can face it? 
    If there's no joy there, then the last step I actually found the easiest, the tribunal was so different, everyone seemed to really care about me and treated me like a human.  I'm late diagnosed ASD and have pretty crippling anxiety, so I can understand why you'd not want to, but it was all worth it in the end.  And we're all here to support you along the way.

honestjon

9babiesnutjob said:

Thank you again Poppy for your reply and advice.

Im not going to fight it further, I don’t have the mental or emotional energy too. It’s really not worth all the anxiety it causes.

It was my first time claiming disability and I guess I was a naive. I’ve learnt a lot during this process and I WILL get the care component come my review!

I do think it’s disgusting that good people with genuine conditions have to beg, humiliate themselves and jump through hoops to get this award. Yet, during Covid, I could have to HMRC that I rang a business from my garden shed selling gardening junk and I would have got a £10000 grant! This system is a complete joke!

Thank you again everyone on this forum, your help and advice has been invaluable. Thank god for sites like Scope!

The system is not perfect but in many cases it gets the right decision eventually. I agree you shouldn't have to fight to get it but I think that is mainly due to fake claims which the government obviously have to try to stop.
If you need extra help don't give up and there is a lot of support available for you to guide you through step by step.
Just ask on here and there will be plenty of support and good advice.
Please don't start thinking you or your husband have done wrong because you probably haven't,it's just how the system is. You and your husband just need a bit more good guidance which you can get from here.
Good luck and don't give up.

poppy123456

Very few people claim PIP fraudulenty. I'm not sure what the covid business grants have to do with a PIP claim though.

If you're not happy with the decision and you think you should score enough of points for a daily living award the only way to put that right is by challenging the decision.

9babiesnutjob

Thank you honestjon for your support and kind words.

honestjon

poppy123456 said:

Very few people claim PIP fraudulenty. I'm not sure what the covid business grants have to do with a PIP claim though.

If you're not happy with the decision and you think you should score enough of points for a daily living award the only way to put that right is by challenging the decision.

Hi Poppy I was making the point about fraud claims to suggest that as the reason why so many genuine claimants get denied pip and have to go to mr and appeal.
I have no idea how many fraudulent claims there are but I would guess there would be at least a few.
And I'm guessing the op made the point about covid grants because of frustration that money can easily be gained by cheating but it's not always so easy to claim money that you are entitled to.?
Apologies to the original poster if I have misunderstood your point 

honestjon

9babiesnutjob said:

Thank you honestjon for your support and kind words.

You are most welcome and I am certain there will be plenty more support and kind words from the kind people on this site so if you need help you should just ask.
There is fantastic support here that is why I am here also to get support when I need it as we all do sometimes 

poppy123456

honestjon said:

poppy123456 said:

Very few people claim PIP fraudulenty. I'm not sure what the covid business grants have to do with a PIP claim though.

If you're not happy with the decision and you think you should score enough of points for a daily living award the only way to put that right is by challenging the decision.

Hi Poppy I was making the point about fraud claims to suggest that as the reason why so many genuine claimants get denied pip and have to go to mr and appeal.
I have no idea how many fraudulent claims there are but I would guess there would be at least a few.
And I'm guessing the op made the point about covid grants because of frustration that money can easily be gained by cheating but it's not always so easy to claim money that you are entitled to.?
Apologies to the original poster if I have misunderstood your point 

I think the difference between the amount of people claiming fraudulently for disability benefits like PIP is very small in comparison to the fraud for covid business grants. 

This link says that the Government have already recovered over £20.9 million from those that either claimed in error or fraudulently. They still have about £80 million to recover. https://www.sb-p.co.uk/insights/government-slow-to-recover-over-ps1-billion-covid-grant-fraud/

Those that are claiming anything dishonestly, will eventually get caught.

Believe it or not the most common reason for refusal or not receiving the correct award is poorly completed claim forms. I do understand that a paper based assessment was given for 9babiesnutjob and paper based assessments are mostly favourable but this doesn't mean it will be the correct award.

It goes without saying that there will always be someone here to advise anyone going the claims process, which ever stage they are at. Most of my time spent here is on the benefits section trying my best to advise people any benefits claim.

@9babiesnutjob Please take your time and have a think about what you would like to do. If you change your mind have 13 months to request the MR from the date of the decision. If you are outside the 1 month timeframe you will need to give a reason why you didn't request it within the first month. If they refuse you can just proceed to Tribunal. Of course it is always your decision to make on what you would like to do, not anyone elses.